For many drivers who are active on a regional level, participating in a classic like the Ardeca Ypres Rally is often a childhood dream. Putting your name on the start list of a top rally as a young driver from the Westhoek is a dream for many drivers. Jeffrey Derycke, Guillaume Ingelbeen and Kurt Vercruysse are three youngsters from the region who will make their debut in the Ypres Rally on Friday.
Jeffrey Derycke (Loker) and codriver Anouk Vandenberghe will drive a Toyota Starlet with starting number 102. The car was prepared by the German Thomas Kleinwächter, with an engine built by the Finn Esa Peltonen. “First and foremost, I definitely wanted a rear-wheel drive car. The Starlet is really authentic. We made our debut with the Toyota a few weeks ago in the Sezoensrally in Bocholt, on the well-known Maas gravel. In the separate standings of the 2WD Trophy we had climbed from 14th to 4th place, and that with a 1300cc engine, until a gearbox breakage forced us to throw the towel. Nevertheless, we returned home with a satisfied feeling. Driving Ypres is really a dream come true for me. Last year I took part in the Ypres Historic Rally, but it cannot be compared at all with this tough two-day rally. Especially the number of kilometres against the clock will be a challenge.”
Guillaume Ingelbeen (Poperinge) has driven in just a handful of rallies in his own region. Now he chooses, together with brother Michiel, to participate in the Ardeca Ypres Rally. Their BMW M3 E30, fully prepared in the parental garage in Passchendaele, is fitted with number 78. “I’m in my third rally year, but I’ve driven very little. We are from the region, but we are certainly not used to so many consecutive special stages. In a provincial rally, with 2 to 3 stages, you can actually record the path in your head and you quickly learn the pitfalls. With 8 different stages, some of which are very long, doing this is really impossible. I’m afraid it will all be a bit much for me at once. Fortunately, we already received a lot of tips from Thomas Cloet, who normally navigates Manuel Merlevede (Peugeot 208). Of course, like every participant, we would like to cross the final podium. But, for example, that first passage through the Nieuwkerke market will also cause chills.”
Another such person is Kurt Vercruysse from Woesten, who takes up the gauntlet with Mathias Vaarten as navigator. “I must say, the preparation is very intense. You have to time everything right what, where and when, two days of exploring and then two more long rally days. Maybe I underestimated it a bit beforehand. In addition, there is the maintenance and preparation of the car, our trusted Citroën Saxo. We are well aware that we will not surprise you. We want to put on a show. The handbrake will be used often. I am therefore already looking forward to the shakedown in Nieuwkerke on Thursday evening. Our name must stand out when passing through the Market there. And for the rest finish in Ypres on Saturday evening as a big ‘thank you’ to our sponsors.”
The Citroën Saxo of Kurt and Mathias gets starting number 105.
